Those Damn Tourists
Yup, that’s right… that is the title of my post. Now before you get mad at me and think, “well I’m one of those damn tourists”, no, no you’re probably not. At least I hope you’re not.
I know we live in a city that thrives off of the tourist industry. The condos, the souvenir shops, the same food just a different name restaurants, the mopeds that go 10 miles per hour slower than the speed limit. I accept all this. I change my driving routes when it’s tourist season. We don’t eat out at times when we know the restaurants will be packed or we visit restaurants off the beaten path. We change our lives so that others can come and enjoy this beautiful city as well. But there are some things we just can’t change, and wish we could.
Last night I had to take a trip to Wal-Mart to try and find something that Target didn’t have. Bum-mer. I hate going to Wal-Mart. Hate it. We used to go there for our groceries because it was so much cheaper… but after trying out Publix a couple times, we both realized that not only do they have a better selection of just about everything, we don’t leave there wanting to fight any and everyone who comes in our path. Wal-Mart just tends to bring out the absolute worst in people. And not just here… everywhere. It’s like there are no rules, no regulations, no laws. Almost a survival of the fittest and rudest if you will.
As I was sitting in my car about to hop out and head in I saw two younger guys, probably late teens maybe early twenties standing between their parents very expensive SUVS. Both had visors, pastel colored short sleeved wind breakers, white shorts and penny loafers. The “preppy” sailor look. (totally reminds me off my very well mannered, very well brought up ex)
About to get out of the car I noticed one of them walk over to the car parked across from them and throw their garbage next to the car. Grrr. Seriously?! Who does that?! Attempting to bite my lip and just walk in the store, after all, this is the Wal-Mart parking lot, this kind of stuff happens all the time, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and one foot away from them I said, “Thanks for throwing your garbage on my beach.”
Not what I should have done. I really wanted to go over, pick up the trash, then comment… but I hate Wal-Mart and I really wanted to just get in and get out. Which I did. And as I walked back to my car my adrenaline started flowing again. I really didn’t want another encounter with the youngin’s but there was no way around it. But it wasn’t just the youngin’s this time. Their dads were already in the drivers seats, the moms had just finished putting the groceries in the back of their SUVs and were looking to return the carts, their brothers or sisters or whoever already in the back seats ready to go. Great. Just what I needed.
I was actually going to pick up their trash had their cars not been there and had they all not been there. I don’t like confrontation. Especially when it’s pointless. But that adrenaline got the best of me again and when I walked by the boy the conversation and drama went a little like this:
me: I hope you don’t treat the beach like you treat this parking lot.
boy: shut up and get in your car.
me: pick up your *ish and I wouldn’t have to say anything.
boy: you don’t have to cuss at me.
me: you’re right, pick up your trash.
boy: shut up b*tch. get over it. get in your car.
mom 1 to boy: just get in the car and shut your mouth.
dad 1 to me as he’s rolling down his window: shut up b*tch and get in your car. get over it b*tch. get over it.
me to both boy and dad: pick up your *ish and go home.
dad 1 to me with mom in background still telling her son to be quiet: get over it b*tch. clean it up yourself b*tch. get over it b*tch.
me to dad: seriously?! just pick up your trash.
dad to me as I’m getting in my car: b*tch clean it up yourself. that’s all that women are good for anyway so shut your f*in mouth, clean up my *ish and go home. get over it b*tch. go home b*tch.
um… wow. wow, wow, wow.
I called B while shaking and in tears and tried explaining to him what had just happened. He re-assured me that if he had been there, they wouldn’t have talked to me like that and that the boys and the dad were cowards. It took a little to calm me down and I agreed with him.
Yes, my actions were wrong. Yes, my words could have been chosen better. Yes, the Wal-Mart beast in me came out. I apologize. I really do. But throwing your trash on the ground isn’t right, no matter where you live. Did I tell you that a couple weeks ago I had to dig up and entire case of empty beer cans at the beach when there was a garbage can 20 feet away?! Yea, that was fun. Or how any time I go to the beach I pick up other peoples trash and throw it away for them. Or how we’ve actually dug up a broken beach chair. Seriously people… seriously?!
Again, I agree that what I did and what I said was not right. And again, it’s not right to throw your trash on the ground. But that’s not what really got to me. What got to me was what the dad had continued to call me and what he said about women.
I, sir, am not a bitch. Nor is it okay for you to call me or any other woman that.
I, sir, have so much more worth than picking up after you or your son. So does your wife. The way you treat your wife is the way your son will treat his so please set a better example to your son and treat your wife with respect.
I, sir, care about where I live and I, sir, am part of the reason the beach looks good for you and your family to come.
What if I would have left those beer cans for you to step on while you’re enjoying a nice relaxing walk on the beach, cut open your foot, and head to the hospital which is easily a 45 minute trip with the tourist traffic to ruin your vacation? What if the condo that you’re staying at decided they didn’t want to clean your room before you came because you could easily do that yourself? What if the restaurants you go to eat at didn’t feel like washing your plates, forks, cups?
You sir, are the reason that the locals here do not have a good relationship with many of the tourists.
For those of you who visit here often, and who do not behave like this… I appreciate you. Thank you for taking the extra 15 seconds to throw away your trash. To walk 20 steps and place it in the garbage. To bring a garbage bag with you and collect your trash instead of throwing it on the ground.
Thank you for caring about this beach like I do. Thank you for helping keep this a beautiful place with beautiful white sand. I thank you. My husband thanks you. My daughter thanks you. We all thank you!
Tags: panma city beach, tourists
we’ve visited pcb several times…usually in the off season. this year we were there right after the spring break season, there were still a few places on spring break, but it wasn’t the peak time. the beach was busier than we’d ever witnessed – and i was shocked at the trash. we’d walk out our resort onto the beach and i couldn’t believe what trash people left behind..and it’s not like there are no trashcans provided! i was disgusted! we love pcb..especially in the off season :) i found your blog back at the sew mama sew give away time and enjoy it.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
I *seriously* don’t understand how ppl can treat others that way!!!!!
I got in an argument w/a taco bell employee yesterday because he was standing immediately next to the doorway smoking (Tupelo is smoke free in public places and you have to be 20-30 ft from the door) and I had to walk all the kids through the smoke. NORMALLY I don’t say anything, but for some reason, I couldn’t hold onto my tongue this time – and said just non-challant: “you know, you really shouldn’t be smoking right next to the door” – and he yells at me, “I work here and can smoke anywhere I WANT”….it went back and forth a little and I told him not to talk to me like that and I’m gonna talk to his manager and he screamed at me that I should, blah blah….another man heard the whole thing and commented to Tim that he was JUST going to say something to him…a mgr heard it and took me aside and asked me what happened and then went to HER mgr and told her – THAT mgr argued with me about it – saying she’d talk to him but wants her employees standing right next to the door so she could see them, she doesn’t care what the law is or what I think, blah blah….NEVER apologized for how he was talking to me, etc….I told her that I didn’t expect HER to talk to me like that too – ARGUING at the cash register!!!! I started to cry and the lady that was going to take my order just looked at me and said, “I’m sorry – I understand” – we ended up leaving without ordering and I saw the jerk guy on the way out and said, “you really should be ASHAMED of yourself with how you talk to people.” I was soooo worked up!!! I feel the same way over smoking around people as you do about throwing garbage on the ground (which ALSO burns me UP!) Ground garbage, air garbage, it’s the same and gross! Like, fine – if you want to smoke, that’s FINE – just don’t do it around my babies or force me to smoke your smoke. I was SO mad….. lol. And it wasn’t even the smoking next to the building that ticked me off as much as the way he screamed at me….awful.
Sorry the Walmart Beast attacked. On the surface the beast may have ‘won’ yet I disagree…You were willing to ‘ride the bull’ to stand up for what is right [throwing trash on the ground and disrespect for others is NEVER right]. Riding the bull is never easy, there will always be bumps and bruises but much to be learned with every ride. Dust off, and get ready…it is ‘rodeo’ season afterall.
He sounds like an ass, sadly. I’ve had similar experiences – I’m not good at backing down to bullies, and whilst I’d love to say “just ignore him, he’s not worth it”, I know how hard that advice is to take. I’m glad you’re ok, and I hope you come across lots of people who do appreciate those who care for the beach and those who use it.
Steph!! Honestly, I would have done the exact same thing you did. I do that here in Milwaukee. Living downtown by the lake is wonderful, but there are also things that bother me. People throw their trash and cig butts on the ground all the time. Just a few days ago I was driving down Van Buren and someone finished their can of soda and just dropped it on the sidewalk as they walked. I was so angry I pulled my car over and I said “what the hell is your problem? Can you please pick up your soda can?” The guy looked at me confused, then turned around and looked at his can on the ground behind him. He said “oh, sorry” and turned around and picked it up. I got in my car and left. We only have one planet to live on, and we only have one life to live. I don’t understand why some people think its ok to just leave their stuff wherever they want.
As for what was said to you … I’m so sad that we still live in a world where people treat others that way. What should have happened is the dad should have said sorry to you and should have given the boys a lecture about throwing your trash in the gargage. I am proud of you for sticking up for your community Steph.
It saddens me to read that someone thinks its okay to be so disrespectful to strangers and the world around him. As a mom I would be horrified if my son treated anyone like that no matter what the situation. Being verbally abusive never solved anything for anyone.
What a horrible experience for you- please know that most of the world does not treat others so callously or maliciously. I hope that you never have to face such rudeness again.
Warmest regards,
Anna
Nice caveman antics. I guess because I don’t surround myself with people that still treat women like this or even feel or think this way that it still comes as a shock to me when I hear someone still does. Never is it okay to throw your trash on the ground, anywhere. Especially the beach or anywhere else that wildlife and people could suffer from your laziness. Never, is it okay to speak to a woman in that manner or treat a woman with anything less than the utmost respect. With 2 sons, I make it MY responsibility as their mother to teach them about women and tell them how they should treat them and vice versa. I leave it to their dad to teach them this by being a role model. There are too many dads in the world who find it silly to treat women with respect and honor and that is sad and pitiful. You will be blessed in life by the way you treat others. Not only God works in some people’s lives….they might have all those expensive SUV’s and fancy clothes and holier than thou attitudes because they are following the wrong “person”…….So sorry you had to even deal with it.
I think you spoke and acted very well. The only thing is that I wouldn’t label those people as tourists. They may be tourists, ok, but it is actually a broad collective noun and it is not fair on those tourists that are civilized and take care of the places where they go to (they do exist! they may be on the way to extinction though).
Those people were just a bunch of ignorants who don’t know any better, and unfortunately there are too many of them around. What can you expect from those teenagers with such parents??? A dad who calls another woman bitch and tells her to clean up the rubbish herself because that’s what women are supposed to do after all? well… that’s why that mum couldn’t say anything at all except asking her son to be quiet. She wouldn’t even dare asking her husband to be quiet because she is the one supposed to be quiet and clean all their rubbish in their home…
You did right, don’t think about it too much. Those people are trash and they’ll never know any better. I pity them.
I am so sorry that this man and his children were so rude and disrespectful of you and the area. I despise the Wal-Mart mentality you are describing!!! I shop at Kroger and pay more for the privilege just to avoid the rudeness and entitlement mentalities of those who frequent the WM near my home.
And the Taco Bell employee— escalate to district!!! They will listen and do a formal reprimand for the employee’s file… including the manager that blew you off!!!
I despise this whole subset of our current culture. My kids get aggravated with me for enforcing yes ma’am and no ma’am and yes and no rather than yeah, huh?, and nope. My kida are now 22, 20 and 17 and still get corrected every time they forget or slip up. Manners really do matter:)
Prop up your feet and read a novel for a bit to put yourself in a better place, where there is no disrespect:) Enjoy your evening!
I just… wow. I grew up spending summers (and later on my family moved there permanently) in a place where tourism was the main economic source and I can relate to so much from this post. The tourists were needed to support the community and so there were jobs, but many of them were indescribably disrespectful and I can’t remember how many similar experiences I’ve had to yours. I know it isn’t my fault and therefor not something I should be apologizing for, but I feel like apologies are necessary so, I’m sorry you were replied to with such rude and awful language and behavior.
I was just on vacation and I am catching up on my blog reading. We were at a lake here in Washington State. My husband, myself, our 4 kids, and our dog were trying to enjoy some sunshine and splash around. I ended up spending almost an entire day filling a trash bag with broken beer bottles, cans, plastic bags, etc. off of the beach. There are no garbage cans there, but people know that! I always bring a bag with me so I can take my trash with me when I leave. It’s so awful how people treat the world as if it’s a huge landfill. It absolutely disgusts me. And as for that “man”… I would not have been able to keep my cool. It makes me sad to see how people are and how much worse it seems that they are becoming.